Closure for containers



May 15, 1934. P. D. HARTOG CLOSURE FOR CONTAINERS J7? wnzor Paw; 2.1707" fl/M M/ K Filed Dec. 7, 1952 Patented May 15, 1934 UNITED STATES CLOSURE FOR CONTAINERS Paul D. Hartog, Corona, N. Y., assignor, by mesne assignments, to American Tube and Cap Corporation, Jersey City, N. J., a corporation of Delaware Application December 7, 1932, Serial No. 646,051

7 Claims.

The present invention relates to closures of a type particularly adapted for closing dispensing cans and like receptacles containing talcum powder, bath salts and similar materials. Within 'the broad aspects of the invention, the present closure can also be employed in connection with callapsible tubes containing tooth paste, shaving soap, etc. In general, the invention pertains to the type of closure shown in Reissue Patent No.

"18,649, to Walther Kalb, wherein the closure element is permanently connected with the neck of the dispensing receptacle, and is reciprocated into open and closed position on this neck by a simple pushing or pulling motion-of the closure element. The closure element is resiliently held in its open and closed positions by a snap spring, preferably constructed in the form of a springbuckling disc or washer, the outer edge of which moves with a snap action across a neutral plane when this outer edge is pushed to a downwardly flexed position or pulled to an upwardly flexed position. The closure element is operatively connected with this buckling spring, preferably having attachment around the outer peripheral edge thereof, whereby the closure element moves with this snap motion into open and closed positions, and is resiliently held in each of these positions by the spring tension of the disc. This general type of closure for cans, tubes and like containers possesses the advantages of preventing the closure element from becoming lost; of enabling the container to be instantly opened or closed by a quick simple motion of the closure element; and of assuring a close-fitting, airtight 'seal of the container when the closure element is in its closed position.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide an improved construction of dispensing neck for association with this spring actuated closure element. This improved neck construction comprises a head in which are formed the apertures through which the contents of the container are discharged from the neck portion. Said head also functions as a seat against which the closure cap seats when in closed position preventing discharge through said apertures. One of the features of this improved neck construction is that each of the parts thereof consists of a sheet metal stamping. Another feature is the provision of discharge apertures of greater area in the head member for a more rapid discharge of the contents.

Another object of the invention is to provide' an improved manner of mounting the head member on the remaining portion of the neck.

Other objects and advantages of the inven-, tion will appear in the following detail description of a preferred embodiment thereof.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating such embodiment:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional View through the upper portion of the container, its dispensing neck, and the spring actuated clo-' sure cap, this View being on an enlarged scale and showing the closure cap in its closed position;

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the closure cap in its open position; and

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the apertured head member, previous to its assembly in the end of the neck.

The container 6 is most typically representative of a can or carton for containing talcum powder, etc., although, as previously stated, itmay also be representative of a collapsible tube or the'like for containing toothpaste, shaving cream, etc. The dispensing neck portion is designated '7 in its entirety; it comprises the lower attaching shell 7a and the end head 71). The head member 7b is provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced discharge ports 8, preferably in the form of vertical slots. The closure element is designated 9, and the spring-buckling disc is designated 11.

The attaching shell 7a may be secured to the body 6 of the container in anysuitable manner; in the preferred construction illustrated, the shell is provided with an outwardly extending rim or bead 14 formed by extending the metal outwardly and thence inwardly back upon itself, which rim or bead seats on the upper side of an inwardly directed flange 15 forming part of the container. The lower extremity of the attaching shell is spun or crimped outwardly against'the under side of the flange 15, as indicated at 16. The upper end of the attaching shell 7a is formed with an inwardly. extending an-v nular bead 1'7, within the external groove of which the inner peripheral portion of the spring disc 11 is secured. The top flange 18 of this beaded rim 17 is bent down on the upper side of the disc 11 for securely holding the inner portion of the disc. If desired, the joint between this beaded rim 17 and the disc 11 may be made an air tight seal.

The closure cap 9 comprises an upper conical portion 21 having a radial flange 22 extending inwardly from its upper end. Flaring outwardly from the bottom of this conical portion 21 is a skirt portion 23 which is formed with an internally grooved rim or bead 24 at its lower edge.

This bead is crimped or spun over the outer peripheral edge of the spring disc 11, and an airtight seal may also be established at this joint, if desired.

The head member 7b is of approximately cupshaped form, comprising a closed end 27, from the sides of which a conical wall slopes outwardly and downwardly to form the conical outer surface 28. This conical surface 28 constie tutes the seating surface against which the inner edge of the flange 22 engages when the closure element 9 is in its closed position. The downwardly extending side walls of the head member are notched out at spaced intervals to form the discharge ports 8 and to form the supporting legs or fingers 31 and 32. As clearly shown in Figure 3, the legs 31 are relatively short and the legs 32 are relatively long, these occurring alternaly around the head member. The longer legs 32 have outwardly extending flanges 33 at their lower ends. In assembled relation, the shorter legs 31 rest on the top of the'internal shoulder defined by the bead 17, and the longer legs 32 extend down on the inside of this annular shoulder, with their flanges 3.3 hooking under the same. Thus, the shorter legs 31 sustain all downward force on the head mem er and h lon s 3 resist an 11 w rd orce ext rted a ai t t a me be he a sembly of h c n tr io ma be e orm d by push n h h m m e upw rdly through the beaded rim 17 from the under side hereof and e p e si he sh less 3. u wa dly to en e 0n th t p s d of t e flange 18. These short legs may have a resilient tendency tospread outward so that they snap out over the top of the flange 18, forming in effect a snap lock connection between the two sections,

l a d 712.

will be Observed a his Construction of neck provides a multiplicity of discharge ports 8 oi relatively large area for a rapid flow of the contents of the container; provides a construction wherein the two parts of the neck can be tioned Kalb patent, the snap spring disc l1 is dis or ed o ha e to ha a 00meal b as wh by th out r ed of thi d m e t a n p action a r s a n u a la h h Outer edge is pushed to a downwardly flexed position or pulled to an upwardly flexed position. To close the container, the'outer periphery of the losure cap 9 i ma u g an pushed inwardly or downwardly relatively to the container for snapping the closure element down against the conical surface 28. In this closed position, the disc 11 is still exerting downward pressure against the closure element, whereby the radial flange 22 of said closure element is maintained resiliently pressed against the conical surface 28 of the head member. The conical form of this seating surface 28 and the line contact afiorded by the lower edge of the flange 22 bearing against this conical surface enables the closure element to adapt itself to any slight irregularities in the points of contact, for assuring a tight closure, This line contact is, of course, slightly above the upper ends of the discharge ports 8. To open the container, the outer periphery of the closure element is manually grasped and pulled upwardly or outwardly relatively to the container, snapping the disc 11 across its neutral plane, and resiliently holding the closure element in the open position illustrated in Figure 2. The contents of the container can then be discharged out through the ports 8, up along the inside of the closure element 9 and out through the end opening 35 defined within the marginal flange 22.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is-:

1. A container comprising a neck including a lower member and an upper member, said lower member being provided with an annular shoulder and said upper member comprising supporting portions seating on said shoulder and engaging under said shoulder, discharge openings in said upper member, a spring-buckling disc having its inner periphery secured to said neck, and an annular .closure element connected with the outer peripheral portion of said disc and adapted, in its closed position, to engage with said upper member,

2. A nta ne comp isi a n c in di s a lower member and a cup-shaped upper head member, said lower member being provided with an inwardly extending annular shoulder, said upper member having discharge openings in its d w l and om ris n downwardl xt nd n supporting fingers engaging on the upper side of said shoulder and en a in u d said shoulde a Spri -buckling dis having its nner eriph ry secured to said neck, and an annular closure element connected with the outer peripheral portion of said disc and adapted, n its cl p t on, to e a e with said puph pe h m m r- 3. A container comprising a neck includin a lower member and an upp r head em er said owe membe being p d d th an inwardly t ndi sh ul r d a e t to it u per er d, said upper member comprising an upper conical surface and downwardly extending fingers, cermi a finger re t on the up side o n u a l ur lement onnec e with he ou peripheral portion of said disc and adapted, in its ip position, to e a i h t e el sur face of said upper member.

4. A container comprising a neck having de 5. A container comprising a neck including alower attaching shell and an upper head member, a shoulder on said shell and spring fingers on said upper head member .coacting with said shoulder and forming a snap lock connection be. tween said attaching shell and said head member, discharge ports in, said neck, an annular closure element movable lengthwise of said neck and adapted, in its closed position, to seat on said neck above said discharge ports, and a springbuckling disc operatively connected between said neck and said closure element.

6. A container comprising a neck including a lower member and an upper member, coacting means on said members forming a snap lock connection between said members, a discharge opening in said neck, a closure element for said discharge opening movable lengthwise of said neck into open or closed position, said closure element being adapted for direct manual grasping to initiate the movement thereof in either direction, and an elastic snap device connecting said neck with said closure element and operating to throw the latter either to the discharge position or to connecting said neck with said closure element and operating to throw the latter either to said open position or to said closed position as soon as the closure element passes beyond its median or neutral position.

PAUL D. HARTOG. 

